


And Not a Ghost in Sight

by WerewolvesAreReal



Category: Natsume Yuujinchou | Natsume's Book of Friends
Genre: Gen, No one appreciates Nyanko-Sensei
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-15
Updated: 2017-06-15
Packaged: 2018-11-14 13:54:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11209437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WerewolvesAreReal/pseuds/WerewolvesAreReal
Summary: Nishimura, Kitamoto, and Natsume's weird cat investigate a haunted house. The cat is acting really strange...





	And Not a Ghost in Sight

“It's not haunted, Nishimura.”

“It is haunted, and you're _scared.”_

Kitamoto scoffs. “You heard this rumor from grade-school children. They get frightened as easily as Natsume falls off buildings.”

They both pause to reflect on this truth for a moment, and then Nishimura concedes, “Okay, maybe. But I'm bored, so let's go anyway.”

Kitamoto doesn't have a good argument to that. It's just rained lately, so they can't fish, one of their favorite roads is blocked off, so cycling is out, and Natsume is down with yet another cold. “Fine,” Kitamoto agrees. “But when nothing happens I'm telling everyone in class that a bunch of eight-year-olds tricked you.”

The old house is off the main road, accessible by a thin dirt trail overgrown with weeds that scratch their shins. They're almost to the end – the shabby, dirty roof coming into sight – when Kitamoto exclaims:

“Oh? Is that Natsume's cat?”

It is – the odd, fat calico is far uglier than any cat Nishimura has ever seen, and therefore impossible to mistake. “Hi, Sensei,” he cheers. “We're going to a haunted house! Did you want to join us?”

The cat looks at him. Looks at Kitomoto. Then, with a sound almost like a disgusted sigh, the cat abruptly leaps forward and starts clawing his way up Kitamoto's shirt.

“Ow! _Ow!_ I don't know why Natsume likes you,” Kitamoto whines. The cat settles grumpily on his shoulder while Nishimura snickers.

Nishimura always thinks it's funny that Natsume gave his cat the appellation _Sensei,_ but it's kind of an appropriate title. Cats are pretty condescending by nature, but this one clearly considers himself to be in charge of the world. And Natsume, especially.

They head inside the house with new cheer.

Nishimura thinks the house is more gross than creepy. Maybe that's because there's still a little light outside – it's probably eerie enough in total darkness, but right now he just notices the dust that comes away when he opens the door, and the piles of broken wood lying across the floor that crumble when he steps forward.

Nyanko-Sensei looks around and makes a 'tch' sound. For a moment it almost looks like his head shines.

“Well, let's look for your ghost,” says Kitamoto sarcastically. The cat complains against his ear.

They scour the ground-floor first and find nothing more interesting than a dead squirrel. The area upstairs is almost barren, with just a few pieces of covered furniture and one ominous desk square in the center of an otherwise empty room. Nishimura insists this desk _must_ be the source of the house's 'weirdness', but Nyanko-sensei trips them up and dashes underneath it, spoiling the mood. They draw him out after a minute to find him licking his lips ominously.

“Probably ate a spider,” Kitamoto complains as the cat clambers up his shoulder again. “Ugh.”

Most houses in Japan don't have basements, but this one does have a cellar. They find it by accident when Nishimura insists on inspecting the outside of the house.

“Something _has_ to be down here!” Nishimura keeps saying while they descend. “A really cool ghost! I swear! Just look at that light, and – _ah!”_

The stairs crumble under their feet; Nishimura and Kitamoto both tumble down the stairs.

They land in a sprawled daze at the bottom, miraculously undamaged. After inspecting each other they look up, dismayed, at the completely destroyed stairs and the cheerful hole of light in the ceiling. “...Is this what Natsume feels like all the time?” Nishimura wonders, and Kitamoto smacks him.

Then Nyanko-Sensei, grumbling in disdain, darts away from them and hefts his fat body over the guard-rail. It's the only part of the stairs remaining, and he somehow balances on it to run right back up to ground-level.

They stare at the cat's back. “...Maybe he's gone for help?” Kitamoto suggests after Sensei disappears.

“He's probably going to sun-bathe right above us,” Nishimura mutters gloomily. “Oh my god.”

They sit waiting for a second in stunned horror as the situation sinks in. Neither of them have cell phones; the cellar is basically empty. They stand wincingly and look around, finding absolutely nothing which could help them to the surface.

“Maybe,” says Nishimura doubtfully, “We could... climb up? The wall?”

Kitamoto gives him a Look.

“It was just a _suggestion! ..._ Wait.”

They pause.

A sudden gust of wind blows through the cellar, nearly knocking them back. Nishimura shudders as the temperature seems to drop. And then he realizes that Kitamoto is floating.

He opens his mouth – to call out, to scream – and suddenly he's thrust up into the air, pushed by nothing, held dangling with something dark and warm and _moving_ against his torso. A second later he bursts out into the open air and falls tumbling next to Kitamoto, free of that alien pressure.

They both stare at the cellar opening in horror. Exchange looks. Then, as one, they run away.

They keep running until they reach the main road. Then Kitamoto grabs his arm, jolting Nishimura to a stop. “Was that the spirit?” Kitamoto demands.

“That was something,” Nishimura agrees breathlessly. They stand there in silence for a minute, wide-eyed, and just stare at each other. Nishimura feels like they should tell someone about this, but who would even believe them?

As they wait, a round calico comes trundling behind them on the path. The familiarity makes both of them deflate a little with relief.

“Oh, _there_ you are, Sensei,” Nishimura scoffs. “Some help you were...”

He yelps in confusion when Natsume's crazy cat attacks his ankles.

 


End file.
